


Peter Nureyev and the End of the Line

by MightyGlowCloud



Category: The Penumbra Podcast
Genre: (Rita [REDACTED] and the Season 3 Project), Angst with a Happy Ending, But the Crimes Crew is doing their best okay, Flashbacks, Get out of here Rita -I'm GOING already sheesh!-, Hurt/Comfort, I COULDN'T THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE AT THE TIME, I promise, I'm sorry: I'm bad at writing feelings, Idk... anything you'd tag the show for is probs here?, Juno has bad coping skills and no one is shocked, Just saying this fic should probably be called, M/M, Not Really Character Death, She has no respect for the 4th wall I'm telling you, The Crimes Crew ship is just the Quinjet, Trauma
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-03-05 19:31:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18835267
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MightyGlowCloud/pseuds/MightyGlowCloud
Summary: First time Peter Nureyev and I worked together I thought that was it: A name signed on a note. 'Course I was wrong, but hey, isn't everyone when they've got a crush on someone they know they shouldn't?Last time we worked together I found out exactly who Peter Nureyev is. I found out a little about who I am too, not that I'm proud of it. Both of us scared of leaving and being left behind. Look where it got us - terrified out of our skin and reaching out blindly only to hurt the other. See, that's the problem with holding things close to your chest so long: they become a part of you. You get complacent. You can't see when somebody's reached into your pocket and switched out the real thing for a dupe. In my case, it's a bit more like I couldn't see the hand offering a way out from the fist ready to punch me back into the dirt where I belong. I'm trying to work on that.All this is to say that last time, well- last time things didn't go so well for us. Stupid to think this time would go any better just 'cause everything had already gone to hell.Name's Juno Steel and I'm not sure what I am anymore. Ex-cop? Ex-P.I? Maybe I'm just a lady trying to find some goddamn peace and quiet! Sure... Let's go with that.





	Peter Nureyev and the End of the Line

**Author's Note:**

> `I see you there, having just read all that and gone "Hmm, if the rest of this fic sounds like this, should be a good time!"`   
>  `I am here to tell you that it is not. I'm happy with three things about this fic: those tags and a gun scene which gets REAL exciting! Oh, wait that's only two... OH YEAH there's also a special part of this that REALLY sounds like an episode of Juno Steel and all the others are hidden between bad plot like a sad pickle in an even sadder burger.`   
>  ``   
>  AND RITA IS THE LETTUCE oh no wait, that's gross- THE CHEESE! HOLDING IT ALL TOGETHER!   
>    
> 
> 
>  
> 
> `Rita, what are you doing? I was just gonna- I am literally begging you, please let them get to the fic.`  
> `Alright! I said I'm going ya have a couple little notes...`  
> `What was that?!?`  
> `I thought you said- Nevermind.`  
> `I don't want to know.`  
> 

“Hello, Juno. It's been a while.” Peter smiled, his face turning sharp and alluring, all teeth and wit behind his ever-present mask. His tinted glasses made it impossible to read his expression, and I couldn’t tell if I was glad of that or not. The wind whipped around us wildly, blowing Martian dust into my eye and lungs, sending me coughing violently. Maybe the helmet would’ve been a good idea but, as usual, good ideas typically came _after_ they would have been helpful to have had.

When the tears finally cleared my vision Nureyev had slid off the hood of the RUBY-7 and made his way further into the ship, a jacket slung over his shoulder as his hip swayed. Even in 8-inch heels, the man had impeccable balance.

“Agent Glass looks different, huh Boss? OH! _He’s not Agent Glass, is he?_ ” Her voice dropped to a ‘whisper’ although it was just as loud as her normal speaking voice. “It’s like in that one with the beggar who’s actually a princess. You see, she’s just hiding out from the evil king who killed her _sister_ , and stolen her **fiancé** to _**experi**_ -“

“Rita, not now. Please.”

“Come on, both of you inside now! We’ve got to get going. There’s a job lined up for us on Io, and we’re already behind schedule.”

We both clambered up the ramp and started following Buddy, Rita chatting at my side the whole time. I couldn't make out most of what she said over the noise but that didn't stop her. It never stopped her.

"And then she **plunged** her fist into the king's heart-! It was so disgusting, you should'a seen it! But it was so beautiful too cuz she was wearing her ring that she'd kept after all that t _im_ e-"

"Rita, dear, you need to strap in. We're about to take off and I'm sure you don't want to experience the climb."

"Oh, well that's no problem- now, as I was saying-" Jet was nowhere to be seen, though Nureyev was calmly helping Rita strap in, her attention split between her story and the reinforced glass beside her. I claimed the seat next to Vespa, and by her side Buddy, so I was as far away from the viewport as possible.

"Is there any way to get her to be _**quiet**_?" Vespa seemed to be the only one less than enthusiastic about Rita at the moment, and I almost couldn't blame her. Almost. Vespa was nearly as loud sitting next to me as Rita was sitting across from me.

`MISTAH STEEL!! Rita! I thought I told you-`

"Just let her get it out of her system." God, all four of them were so loud- wait, _four_ _?_

Maybe it was the way my stomach still felt like I'd left it in the spot where I'd set my eye on Nureyev, or maybe it was just the prospect of jumping in a ship and flying so goddamn high. More than likely, both. Whatever the cause, I held my head in my hands and stared at a spot on the floor near my feet, probably not making a great impression but also caring more about not making a worse one by losing my lunch.

"You'll have to forgive the Detective for being rude, Vespa darling. He's not very good with heights or  _change_."

"Low blow, N- whatever the hell your name is now." I caught myself in time. However Nureyev felt about me, I didn't want to make it worse by saying his name. And... a part of me wasn't sure if I deserved it anymore.

"Elias North, at the moment. I'd thank you to remember that and any other name I give you from now on." His words said a lot. Hurt and grateful... Polite but spiteful. If I could've seen his eyes, I bet they would've said more. Can't say it didn't hurt but at least he hadn't hit me. Yet.

Part of me was expecting that. Par for the course for Juno Steel and jilted lovers.

But somehow I thought Nureyev might be different. I couldn't blame him though. I'd been there before with a partner I'd loved a whole lot less.

I didn't have time to think about it more because the ship started rumbling around us and I felt everything boil and freeze inside me, rearranging my insides until I didn't know which way was up. I was the only one, apparently.

"Oh, Boss! You gotta look at this- LOOK AT IT!!!"

My head must have disconnected from my body in all the shaking because Rita said look and I  **looked**. 

The Martian sky, same as it had been my entire life, was opening up in front of me and revealing a space so wide and vast and empty that I don't know if I could even know if what I was seeing made up even one lifetime of travel.

I could see how Nureyev had fallen in love with traveling the stars.

I almost laughed. Almost. Then I saw the ground growing beneath us. Fear gripped me tight and the laugh turned into a shout.

"Goddammit Rita!"

"But, Mistah Steeeel-!!!"

Nureyev was laughing, apparently finding the sight before him delightful. I couldn't tell if he was laughing because of the thrill or if he was laughing at me. Honestly, I was too busy trying not to throw up to care. After what seemed like hours but was probably only a few minutes everything was still. I opened my eye and to my regret saw every loose bit of hair, scrap of cloth and whatever else wasn't tied down float around for a few more seconds before the gravity generator kicked in.

"We've reached cruising altitude. Please feel free to unfasten your seatbelts and move about the cabin!" Unlike anything I'd ever heard from Nureyev before, he was... joking? Not in a flirtatious way, even, just- Happy.

To think that I'd given up seeing more of this; removed from the constant threat of murders, mysteries, and Martian artifacts, he was really-

"Boss, come on! Let's go see our new rooms - oh I hope mine has a window, don't you?"

"I can assure you, it does! Right this way, I'll give you the tour."

Guess I didn't need to finish that thought. I'd left Peter Nureyev behind in that hotel room and now he was giving me the same treatment. All's fair in love and war, I suppose.

"Come with me Juno. I will show you the way to your quarters."

"Will you catch me if I fall, Big Guy?" However I tried to make that sound, it came out weak and pathetic. Jet didn't react at all, but I can't tell if he was letting it slide or if that was just his face. "You know what, just... Lead the way. Hope it's not too much trouble for you."

I slung my meager duffel of belongings on my shoulder as I passed the netted wall used for storage. Rita seemed to have taken two of the six bags she brought along with her, but I'd seen her pack those myself. Holovids, computer parts, and hard-drives, both of 'em.

"No trouble at all. Your room is just down the hall from mine and I needed to pass by there regardless."

"Ah. Thanks, I think."

I spent the rest of the day lying in my bunk, trying to get my sea-legs... space-legs? Didn't see Rita. Probably just busy setting up her own space and adjusting to things.

* * *

 

Then things were... not going well.

When man first took to the stars it would've taken them 6 years to get from Mars to Jupiter. Granted, they had to go around in a bit of a circle to get that far and take so long, but nowadays with speeds faster than the minds back then could've thought possible and the ability to factor in enough thrust and maneuverability to get around space dust and asteroids, it took a month.

Nothing about that was bad, don't get me wrong. I think I was just traveling with some bad company, as cold as space outside the hull. One person in particular: Nureyev.

Rita forcing me to switch rooms when she saw mine had a bigger viewport had kind of made it worse, although I'd been grateful at the time. I was forced to share space with someone who clearly wanted to see nothing of me if he had any say in the matter. Half the time I only caught a glimpse of the guy before he was around the corner and out of sight before I could get out more than a syllable.

Nureyev knew how to disappear, I'll give him that. After the first week of waiting outside in the hall, I came to the conclusion that he didn't want to see my face, let alone hear whatever apology I cooked up. I still didn't have the words to tell him why I'd done it and how sorry I was. I don't think he wanted to hear them even if I did.

Pretty sure I didn't either.

The only time we seemed to get along was when everyone was in the same room together going over the plan for when we got to Io.

Io is Jupiter's fourth-largest moon, covered in volcanic activity and some bright spark had the idea to turn it into a resort-planet years ago. It was probably the most successful terraforming done that century, and every billionaire looking for a place to get away from the paparazzi - and especially away from the Kanagawa's - called it their home away from home. To everyone else in the system, it was just the planet that called dibs on everything good within 20 lightyears and dumped whatever they didn't want back out in the trash. Cleanest trash I'd ever seen, but they knew how to keep out bad business.

It was supposed to be a real easy job. That should tell you why I was worried.

Come in, deliver some cargo, plant some explosives to get rid of any evidence, collect the cash and back out to resupply before the next job. 

I didn't even have a hand in anything other than lifting boxes. Didn't have any skills that would be helpful aside from a heartbeat and years of hard work. Except when the shoot-out started right before the charges were set to detonate. My aim was still worse than I'd care to admit, but it was decent enough to hit one in every 3 shots - not exactly where I was aiming, but close enough to still hurt.

I thought we might even make it out of there okay. Even though we were outnumbered 3-1, these grunts seemed pretty green. Hired hands, no doubt, and not prepared for the kind of trouble we found ourselves in every time we decided to set foot onto any planet. Jet seemed to have himself handled, Vespa was a decent shot and better with her knife, and knowing Nureyev, he'd dealt with twice as many as everyone else without so much as a glance-

I turned around to help just in time to see the thug take aim. My blaster was up as fast as I could, but my shot went wide. I knew I was too late for a second to matter. I saw him fall, and from what I could tell at that distance I'd say he was hit in the chest- shoulder if he was lucky.

I winged the guy that shot him, and landed another two more for good measure. I could see Nureyev trying to get back up but he seemed hurt pretty bad. Vespa was closest, already on her way to get him out of there when I saw it.

I saw it all coming down before either of them realized what was happening. One of the charges we placed two levels up had triggered accidentally - or hell, maybe on purpose,  **it didn't matter** because the roof was coming down, falling fast - and he was right under where it was gonna hit. And then... it did.

Just like that.

A scream tore itself from my throat, too torn up to even call his name. Buried under a pile of heavy rubble and metal... was Peter Nureyev.

A man who'd made it through so many situations  _exactly_ like this one, who had plans for when his plans fell through for the plan before  **that** , was just...

Gone.

Vespa hadn't made it close enough to be completely buried. We managed to get her out and then I started digging for Nureyev, looking for a hand, a leg, anything.

Jet pulled me away, uncaring as I swiped and kicked at him.

“LET ME GO! He’s still in there!“

“He is dead, Juno, and if we do not get out of here we will be too.”

"He's made it out of worse. Goddammit I'll **_drag_** him out if I have to, just-"

Didn't matter what I said, didn't matter how hard I tried to get free, Jet was  **strong** and he didn't seem to care what I wanted. All he cared about was the countdown. Getting back to the Ruby-7 and getting off-world before whoever had tried to kill us realized that we weren't so dead after all.

We made it back to the ship, somehow.

Vespa. Jet.

Me.

So what? Nureyev was gone, and I didn't know if I had anything left in me to keep going.

Rita sat with me all night. Neither of us said a word.

And so it went.

Rita did her best, but I was sunk. She couldn't keep my head above water forever and I knew it.

Every time I closed my eyes I saw it. I saw him, and Ben, and Annie. All the people I'd hurt, all the people I'd gotten killed. It was a pain I'd only experienced once, and I'd sworn that I wouldn't live through that again, but- I'd also made a promise to Rita. To Mick. To Sasha, even.

That I'd keep trying.

Then I got up. I put my pain to the side, shoved it in a box and used that thing as a chair. It was splintered and broken, sure - it's had plenty of use over the years, but some days that kind of pain is the only thing driving you to keep moving. For all the days that were never lived, I'd suffer through.

 

 

 **Bang. Bang-bang**.

_Click. Whirrrrr_

Mechanical system pulled forward, dragged on rusty cogs and wheels, the oldest part of a firing range I'd built out of scraps lying around - and by "I", I mean the system that Rita and Jet built on the way to Io while I stood around like a monkey handing over tools. I examined the target. For all my aim for the head, the heart, the throat, all I'd hit was a shoulder and only just. I slammed my hand down on the button to reset the system and tossed aside the empty cartridge, replacing it with another. Footsteps sounded behind me, coming from my right.

“What do you want Buddy?”

“You’ve not eaten in two days... I’d guess you haven’t slept, either.”

“So what? You want to spoon-feed me like a child? Tuck me into bed, check for monsters under the bed? I’m good, thanks.”

“You can’t keep going like this. Something’s going to give eventually-“

“Let it!”

She sighed. “I know you and-“

"Don't say it.”

“You and North were close.”

"I don't know what we were! Not that it matters now." I leveled my blaster and cleared the cartridge onto the target.

"Juno, you can't keep this up." The target came forward. Only one shot had landed. Again.

"I can't keep failing every time I try to make a shot! If I just work harder then maybe I won't let everyone down again. If I'd just-" I shut my eye tight, hoping to block out the image of Nureyev falling, laying in his own blood just like Ben before him. It didn't work. It never worked. "Just leave me alone."

"He knew what he was doing. It's not your fault."

I ignored her until she walked off.

**_Reset._ **

Try harder. Work smarter. Be better.

 **Bang. Bang-bang**.

 _Click. Whirrrrr_  

* * *

 

The next job turned out to be the kind where everything that could've gone wrong, anything that should've gone right, was something that would've killed us if it had the chance. If you can believe it- another train. Imagine my surprise.

It was unlike anything I'd ever seen. Some kind of combination between a train and spaceship that was an interplanetary mystery, traveling almost as fast as the Utgard Express and boasting the same range of oddities only instead of priceless treasures, the clientele making the trip across the galaxy were the strangest things on board. Honestly, it seemed like exactly the sort of connection I'd expect from the crew.

I had almost made it to the back of the train, making sure the exit was clear once Buddy and Vespa had gotten whatever information they had come for when something caught my eye. All of the compartments of the train should’ve been locked, and yet third from the end, a door was shut with a green light blinking on the panel in front of it. I opened the door, and with a hiss, it released the smell of a familiar cologne.

Nureyev was there, staring out the window as the world whipped by. He was drawn and thin, pale as a ghost.

"Hello, Juno. Has anything gone wrong yet?"

I was shocked, of course. I didn't know how, but he was alive.

And I'd left him behind again.

He seemed tired, a moment away from collapsing as soon as the job was done and he had somewhere safe to lick his wounds, but somehow he was here. Impossibly waiting for us.

My comms buzzed. A check-in, probably, though it seemed a little early. I ignored the call.

I'd barely formed the "How?" or the "Why?" or the "What do you mean 'yet'?!?" that I was dying to ask just to hear his voice and get some answers when the comms buzzed again. I could hear someone running through the narrow hallway.

“Juno, we need to- Elias!" Good. I wasn't imagining things. "How-? Nevermind. We need to go-” I didn't hear the rest of what she said, but I didn't need to. An explosion from somewhere along the train as we entered a tunnel which triggered an alarm which sounded over the speakers, blaring loudly. I turned from him, sure that he'd be behind me as we made our way off the train. The lights changed from a soft yellow to a dull, sticky red. That wasn't good. For several reasons. Realization sunk in my stomach just as Nureyev snapped.

"Don't walk away from me!"

He lunged at me, the blade missing by inches as I stepped to the side and grabbed at the arm holding the knife. Nureyev had the jump on me though, two steps ahead as always, and had the blade coming towards me again in an instant. It took all my strength to keep it from cutting into skin, arteries, and organs as he pushed me away from the door. And I was losing ground fast.

Vespa aimed a blaster at him, at us really, set to stun but charged and ready to fire.

"You wanna carry us both out of here?!? It's fine-" I turned my attention back to Nureyev, who either hadn't noticed or didn't care that he was seconds away from being shot. He pressed me against the wall, no recognition in his eyes, just bloodlust, sadness and regret, the same look I'd seen in them right before he'd killed Mag. “It’s me, it's Juno.” Nureyev pressed harder, bringing the sharp edge even closer. I could almost feel it's point stabbing into me. I knew I didn't have long so I pulled out the best thing I had. “You’re not on New Kinshasa. You’re safe, you’re okay. No one’s going to hurt you, Peter.”

He faltered. I figured that was a safer bet to snap him out of this than his last name, and apparently, I was right.

"How do you know that name?" Or... maybe not.

"You told me. The only one in years. Please, put the knife down. I promise I'm not here to hurt you."

"I don't... I-"

The lights went out. Nureyev pulled away from me and I lost him in the dark. When they came back up a moment later, he was gone.

"Goddammit!" Vespa had been standing in the doorway, no way out. But I knew where he went. A memory of the last train we'd been on, one of Nureyev's better thought out escape plans:

_To the master thief, dear Detective, doors are but suggestions._

He'd gone out through the window. Newest in the fleet so the windows opened silently, and if the train wasn't moving then there was no wind to change the sound in the room. Only problem was that the train had been moving and had started picking up speed as soon as the alarm had sounded. I figured it didn't really make a difference. Nureyev was gone, and that was the only way out.

Well, probably.

I didn't have time to be sure. I slid the window up and was halfway out of the thing before Vespa tried to pull me back in by my feet.

"What are you doing?!?"

"Going after North, what's it look like?"

"We have to get out of here! The train-"

"NO! I AM NOT LEAVING HIM BEHIND AGAIN!" She still had me by the feet and damn, she was stronger than she looked. There was no way I was getting after him without her letting me go.

"You can't-"

"You wanna do something helpful? Then how 'bout you help Buddy try and  **stop** this tin-can before we all go up in smoke!" Maybe she was shocked, or maybe I'd finally managed to kick my way loose, but I was out of that window and climbing the side of the train in seconds. Only Nureyev could make me face my fear of heights, not that he ever saw.

"First his note, now the man himself."

I couldn't see where he was. We were still in the tunnel and it was  _dark_. It was a good thing that the walls of the train were far enough away from the walls of the fast-moving stone beside me. Nureyev had a headstart and I wasn't about to let him run away from me without a fight. He must've been able to pick up on more light than I could though because I could hear him moving along the handholds faster than I was.

"Nureyev! Peter, please- AH-!" I almost lost my footing as a bolt from a gun hit the stone by my head. "Who's firing blind out here?!?"

"Not nearly as blind as you, Detective." It wasn't a voice I recognized. From the direction of the blast, I'd say they were crawling on the roof.

"Yeah? Well, you're a lousy shot anyway!" Another blast, another miss. Probably didn't have many of those left, knowing my track record. I knew there was only one shot I had to get out of this alive. The service platform at the back of the train. Right next to a speeding drop into the abyss. The train was moving faster now. I had to get off the side of the train. I pressed myself against the cold metal as best as I could, trying to make myself a smaller target. Hopefully I'd be able to get to the back and inside the train before my executor finally did his job. Or that his blaster was set to stun so I didn't feel anything when I fell.

Burning pain grazed across my shoulder and arm. I felt my skin blister from the heat. Bastard didn't have it set for stun.

"That was my best coat, you ass! Hope you've got a good tailor 'cause I'll be sending the bill."

"You really think you're getting off this train?" The tunnel was getting lighter now. 

The guy was stocky, with a face so scarred I thought for a second that he was wearing a mask until it stretched into a wide smile. He had me in his sights and I knew it.

But I had Nureyev in mine and he only needed a distraction for a moment. I was good at that.

"If it means I can get away from your ugly mug, absolutely!"

Nureyev slid his knife across his throat and pushed him off the train before he'd had a chance to aim for me. 

"Took you long enough! Thought I'd have to rescue myself for once." I couldn't take my eye off him as I made my way to the edge. Nureyev jumped down to the platform, waiting for me.

"You never change, do you Detective?" He laughed and it felt sweeter than honey. Strong hands pulled me onto the steady metal and to my surprise, they didn't let go.

On the comms buzzed an incoming call from Buddy.

"Juno! You're- is Elias with you?"

"I'm here, darling. Is Vespa-?"

"Yeah. Someone's gotta save your asses."

"What about the train- are we all about to die horribly?" 

"Not to worry Travelers! The Penumbra is tougher than it looks. Take a seat and we'll have you safe and sound." Someone else I didn't recognize but at least they didn't sound like they were trying to kill us. The call ended and I slid down the wall, not sure if my legs would hold me up for too much longer if I didn't. Nureyev sat beside me, though he looked like he needed the support more than I did. This was the closest we'd been since we left Mars and I didn't want to break the silence.

"I'm sorry." His eyes were closed, head tilted back, exhausted. 

"That's my line."

"It's not, you know."

"Yeah it is, I called dibs."

"Juno, will you please just let me talk?" Figured I owed the guy that much at least, so I shut up. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. For so many things... But before I can, I need to know something and I think I'm finally ready to hear your answer."

"Know what?"

"Don't play dumb, it really doesn't suit you. I want to know why you leave the hotel that night. Neither of us can leave and I'll stay here as long as it takes to get an answer."

"Can't tie a lady down?"

"Juno."

"Sorry, I... I'm sorry, Nur-" His name caught in my throat. "I shouldn't have left. I know that, and I hate that I did but I just... things were complicated. Hyperion City had its hooks in me and I couldn't leave it without at least  _trying_ to make it better, but... after everything that went down at the tomb, I thought that maybe life can wait one night. And maybe even a few years worth, or a lifetime if we were lucky. I wanted to see the stars with you, Nureyev, but I lay there watching you that night and you seemed truly at peace for the first time since I'd ever seen you, and all I could think about was the last time I had felt like that and-"

"And you didn't feel that way with me."

"No! I mean, yes, I did. I do! It's just... I'd also felt like that with my brother and he didn't get to have life wait a night. Life took him from me too soon, and I knew that there were hundreds of kids just like that, dying every day, while Hyperion City still had no one looking out for them." I laughed, knowing that whatever I said wouldn't make a difference. Wouldn't change anything. "It's stupid, right?!? Thinking that because I was there, because I was trying to do good, that it would make everything better! I thought I'd finally found someone else there who wanted that too, but... I was wrong, and a lot of people got hurt. But a lot more people were better off. Seems like Hyperion City didn't need me to make it better after all."

"I think it did, Juno."

"What?"

"Rita told me about Ramses- Jack- before everything went wrong on Io, and I  **know,** Juno that if you hadn't been there... It could have been a lot worse. And I'm sorry that you had to do all that, to go through that too. To have someone you look up to turn out to be  _lying_ to you for... your whole life."

"Peter, I-"

"It's okay, Juno. I understand you leaving because I know what it feels like to want to change the world for the better. And I forgive you."

I didn't know what to say to that.

It was the end of a line that I didn't know was possible to cross. And Peter Nureyev was offering his hand.

I took it.

**Author's Note:**

> `That's it?!? Well, yeah. It's nice, like coming full circle.`  
> `But there was no big kiss or anything! What kind of fairy tale is that?!? They didn't even get to ride off in the sunset or anything!`  
> `They literally rode off on a train, happy ending and all.`  
> `You can keep _your_ story and I'll keep mine. Instead of the train, what about if they fought a DRAGON`  
> [Dragon roaring]  
> "GODDAMMIT RITA!"
> 
> `MISTAH STEEL!`  
> 


End file.
